Only One
by AnelieMPetrova
Summary: "What's the best part of your life?" Elena wondered and was given a soft smile by Anelie, "Mine and Mommy's Tradition." Meet Anelie Petrova, Katherine's youngest child who faces a new struggle with old enemies when her home is destroyed and she returns to her birthplace, Sofia, Bulgaria where she unlocks her true self and will do anything for the ones that she loves
1. Chapter One

_***Please Read!***_

_**Around two and a half years ago I began writing this story. I got the idea in an episode of The Vampire Diaries in the Fourth season; it started out as "what would it be like if more than just the Grill was Blown up (not by Connor Jordan) and Katherine and her daughter were targets-what would Katherine do to Save her child (before Nadia) blah blah blah ideas were flowing. but then this story became something different. this story became the retelling of my make up. who I am as a Person, what my greatest fantasies and fears are. Metaphorically speaking (duh). **_

_**For months now-a good year-i have been pondering the idea to post this story and see the reactions that it gets. Only One (no pun intended) person had read this story since i have begun to write it besides myself of course. This Story if you did not get the message so far is my life. METAPHORICALLY. and just so i do not get any comments that say: "You're crazy-none of this has happened-Katherine Pierce is not your mom-Vampires do not excist" bullshit i am going to repeat one more time THIS IS METAPHORICAL! **_

_**to anyone who reads this I thank you ahead of time. This story has engulfed me since I began high school and I am now a Senior. This is where i came to let off steam when i was having my worst days and where i have locked and sealed away all of my emotions.**_

_**I ask for no negative comments, if you do not like it-do not read it and keep your negative judgments to yourself. Otherwise, please review, favorite, and follow. I really hope that you enjoy this story as i enjoy writing it. **_

_**~Hannah**_

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><p><em><strong>Anelie<strong>_

I opened my eyes and I watched as glassy, tear filled chocolate moonstones looked back at me

"Riny" My mother spoke out as she cradled me in her arms

As my consciousness came alive every memory from the passed days came flooding back taking over every corner of my thoughts and images flashing before my eyes.

"M-mommy…" I crocked bringing my hand up, she took it into hers bringing it close to her chest.

"I'm here, I'm right here," she assured in a whisper. My eyes left hers wondering about the other looking down at me; there beside my mother and across sat her ancestor and descendant—Tatia and Elena.

Beside Elena sat Stefan, the man that adopted me as his own a hundred and fifty years ago. Sitting on the other side of mother was Rebekah and Caroline their face along with everyone else had black splotches on them. At my feet, I made out the faces of Elijah, Tyler and Matt.

"Where's Damon?" I wondered

Mother sighed squeezing her eyes shut letting tears out before looking back at me. No.

"Where is he?" I demanded my voice raspy

"He's gone Anelie… he's dead." Mom informed

That's when my fighting stopped and my tears gained freedom, I looked over at my dad, and he took my hand between his, tears racing down his cheeks leaving behind streaks of salty water on his skin.

"It can't be true . . . Daddy . . . it—it can't be!"

Now sitting up I cried into his chest clenching a part of his shirt in my hand

He nodded trying to make me understand, ". . . It's true Sweetheart . . . I'm sorry." He apologized softly

I began to cry harder at his words, he held me close in his arms as I shook beneath him hiding my face.

Damon had been my uncle and we had an indescribable relationship. Damon helped me to get through all of my rough phases as I got him through his. I could go to him with anything. He was known as the bad brother between my father and himself but I never saw him that way because of the bond him and I shared. He was never cruel towards me and if he was it was because of his humanity being flipped and I was never afraid to put him in his place and somehow I was able to conjure up the good in him once again just like he could for me. Damon was a survivor just like my Mama, how could he be dead?

I did not want to believe it, not for a second did I want to let myself believe…

I felt the distinction of Mama rubbing my back, she moved so that when I opened my eyes I saw her looking right back at me. She was always there.

I tried to calm myself down, and my eyes remained closed feeling the strong embracement of daddy's arms around me while he rubbed my back in soothing circles lying his head on top of mine. I wanted to wake up from this horrible nightmare and to be relieved with the knowledge of all this had been just a bad dream.

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><p>Time passed, i was not sure how long...<p>

I slowly lifted my head up and I scanned the desolate world around us. Patches of smoke occupied parts of the land and horizon. Debris was everywhere: bricks, wooden panes, metal rods, the shingles from rooftops scattered about, broken glass, shreds of rubber, my world—everything that made up our town was now crumbled and blown into bits. There were no buildings left untouched by the battle that had taken place and how we all survived I will never know. The power that tried so desperately to kill us failed and I wasn't sure if they knew it or not.

An army built of Hybrids, Witches, and Vampires fighting in a war they had no business being a part of alongside their leader Klaus Mikaelson to destroy us. Anyone that stood against him to protect my mother and I was a target yet he only managed to get a few of us. Bonnie and Jeremy were amongst those now dead and as was Damon.

"Where do we go from here?" I asked

"For right now…we go home." Dad answered me

"If we have a home to return to." Elena said

Everyone followed him; Stefan cradled me in his arms as we walked through the debris that covered the roads of what was left of Mystic Falls. Not all of it had been destroyed…but it was our lives that were truly damaged by this, what we had deemed as happiness.

I was fifteen as a human although I looked to be sixteen but I'm five-hundred and twenty. I was scared and even though my mother, the women who was the definition of who a Petrova is, did nothing but teach me how to be strong and to never show weaknesses, I could not help but shed tears as we walked through the streets. I had built a life here with my mother and family and now it was gone, people died and no longer did the past matter none of it meant anything any longer.

We approached the boarding house and it was just as we left it. We all were happy to have a place to come home to I know I was.

My arms lay limb on my stomach, I was tired and I felt safe in my daddy's arms

The heavy creak gave me chills, the light made me warm, we were home.

"Can you please take me up to my room?" I asked

"Of course" He nodded and we left down the hall just off the entry.

When he opened the door to my room, I squinted at the bright light flooding in from the window. The sky looked so gray and the world seemed gloomy and dark standing as still as the town did beneath it.

I was laid down gently onto my bed; he walked over and shut the curtains letting my room go dark.

I turned over when I heard heels descending the hallway, as they got closer my mother appeared in the door way.

"I will come and check on you later, I'm going to see how everyone is doing downstairs," He informed softly as he leaned over my bed planting a kiss on my forehead, "I love you Daddy,"

He smiled softly, "I love you too Anie."

He soon slid past my mother out the doorway disappearing around the corner after sharing a kiss with her.

I looked up at my mom while she softly closed the door behind her. My every nerve was still numb from hearing about Damon and that only triggered thoughts of my best friend Cassandra. Cassie is what I called her; she was a girl that befriended me at school after my Parents had decided to settle down here in Mystic Falls.

She knew everything that there was to know about my family although that was not at first but within the followings of our friendship Cassie knew that I was, a vampire as she did my family. Cassie watched me flip my switch seeing my emotionless self and blood lust take over only to reveling in the goodness of Vampirism without a fuck to give.

It was Cassie that pulled through to me though, helped me to turn it back on and no matter how many times I had threatened to rip her to pieces unless she left me be she never gave up. I was a ripper, however different from my dad [Stefan] because I could control everything but regardless Cassie never gave up.

Momma was now lying beside me, snuggling under the warm covers with her arms wrapped protectively around me. I cried into her chest and she rubbed my back hushing softly into my ears, assuring me of her presents and with that being said there was not any force in the entire Universe that would make her leave my side.

"We'll get through this, Riny. Together as always." She said

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><p><em><strong>Katherine<strong>_

Anelie's compassion—much like my doppelganger Elena's was over whelming. I know our home being destroyed dented her emotionally and losing the people that she loved most was like driving a stake through her heart.

When Anelie was born I made a promise to not just my newborn but to myself that I would do everything that I could to protect her from harm, to shield her from the evil that this world offered generously but as she grew older I knew that promise was not to be kept. And when she made her transformation it was like asking for all fighting to stop. This world was not made that way and being a Vampire or a supernatural in a human world, fighting and evil was our only way of survival.

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><p><strong>Bulgaria, 1497<strong>

_"You cannot catch me mommy!" Anelie teased to her mother running around the courtyard_

_Katerina laughed at her daughter, lifting up the front of her dress slightly, she ran to catch her at human speed_

_Anelie looked over her shoulder watching her mother who ran just a couple feet behind her. She screamed with excitement and thrill._

_Anelie with all her might as fast as her four-year-old human legs could carry her tried to out run her vampire mother._

_Failing Katerina wrapped her arms around Anelie's small torso lifting her up, hugging her close and spinning her child around._

_Anelie squealed loving every moment in Katerina's arms._

_Katerina stopped and set Anelie down on the green grass, sitting beside her on the ground their dress skirts spread out around them._

_Anelie, still human and out of breath laid her head on her mother's lap feeling the warm rays of the ball of fire hit her._

_"Are you tired my darling?"_

_Anelie shook her head rejecting the tiredness that took her over, the sensation that made her eyelids droop._

_Katerina could not help but giggle, "Oh yes you are I can see it in your eyes."_

_Anelie stood up shaking her head, "No I am not mommy, I promise." Her child assured her, but Katerina smiled and shook her head at the determination to convince her._

_Katerina herself stood up from the ground, "Alright, well why don't we go take a walk through the gardens, maybe your grandfather can meet us?" she suggested._

_Anelie brightened up and nodded with a smile that went ear to ear._

_Katerina offered her hand and Anelie reached up quick to grasp to her mother's side. Both their dresses grazed that grass creating an almost slithering sound as they walked._

I tightened my embrace around my now sleeping daughter at the memory. That little child of innocence now five-hundred years later, she has gone through more than any one person should go through; she and I both have. Her heart was easily breakable since the death of her biological father that was murdered right before her eyes.

I let my fingers comb through her curly, dark hair; it would be hours before she would wake up and it would be then, when she woke up, that something good would come about her—I could feel it. And it would be something that gives not only Anelie but all of us a sign that there, behind all of this darkness a bright future lie ahead in waiting.

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><p><em><strong>Tatia<strong>_

All of us sat in silence in the grand room just off the entry. Caroline threw a few logs in the fire place and let them burn turning into chard blocks of delicacy.

We turned our eyes to Stefan when he entered the room going straight for his mini bar of bourbon.

"Is she okay?" Rebekah wondered softly looking up at Stefan with a worried expression.

Stefan set down the glass on the table in front of him; he shook his head, lightly peering down at Rebekah with a look of seriousness and worry but his voice was soft and sincere, "She's a mess, Bekah . . . I left Katherine to calm her down, but Anie started crying again when I did." Stefan admitted

I watched as Stefan took a hug drink from his glass after shaking his head in thought before he finally said, "I can't believe that my brother is dead . . ." He whispered absent mindedly

"This is not how things were supposed to be, Damon was never supposed to die and none of us were supposed to lose our lives and the people that we loved; Bonnie is dead along with Jeremy and the rest of the only family we had left."

I sighed shaking my head, this was bad and everyone around was in mourn. Caroline lost her mother; Stefan lost his brother, Bonnie, again, lost her life in the battle and there was nothing we could do.

I now had my arms wrapped comfortingly around Rebekah

"She's going to be okay . . . Bekah . . . I promise. She just needs time to heel. Anelie has lost so much—you all have." I spoke slowly trying my best to comfort and assure her.

Rebekah nodded sending me a sad but appreciative smile,

"Thank you, Tatia."

She let out small tear drops, quickly escaping her already glassy ocean, blue eyes. Rebekah cared deeply for Anelie, for she has known her since the day that she was born. Trevor a foot soldier was Anelie's biological father, Klaus unfortunately killed him when Anelie was eight years old. Although Katerina never truly loved Trevor, she loved him enough to marry him after she discovered her being pregnant with his child. Rebekah loved both Katherine and Anelie like family even more now and she hated seeing them in any such pain.


	2. Chapter Two

_**Elena**_

All of us gathered around the island in the kitchen, glasses of blood in hand. All of us throwing out ideas on where to go from here; we could not stay in Mystic Falls it was no longer livable anymore. Even for us Vampires.

I looked down at the contents in my glass, observing my reflection in the dark, red liquid flipping through all my thoughts on where we could go, but unfortunately I came up blank.

"What about . . ." I looked up at Katherine along with everyone else; she shook her head, "No . . . never mind it's a silly idea." She let out.

"Any idea is better than nothing." Stefan responded sincerely

Katherine let out a sigh and looked up, "In Bulgaria . . . I still own my family's estate. It's been renovated and it's big enough for all of us." She explained, "It's a castle—a palace,"

"Why would we leave the country?" I wondered

"It isn't like there is anything in this country for us—why not?" Rebekah countered

"I think we could build a wonderful life there actually," Katherine smiled lightly, "But if you guys don't want to go then you do not have too, but now that it comes to mind I think I'm going to take Anelie there and rebuild the life that she lost."

I sighed and exchanged a glance with Tatia, "you're right, I think we could build a wonderful life there Katerina," Tatia stated looking away from me to Katherine, "and I think it would be good for us Petrova girls to get back to our roots as a matter-of-fact." Tatia added

Katherine and Tatia looked over at me, "What do you say Elena?" Katherine shrugged her shoulders lightly

I pushed myself up from my elbows, I nodded and sent over a smile, "Bulgaria here we come," I agreed

"Sooo…what? You guys are just going to move your lives to Bulgaria and never speak a word or see us again?" Caroline protested

I could not help but let out a small laugh, I walked over and took both of her hands into mine.

"Caroline, how could you possibly think such a thing?" I asked looking directly into her pretty blue eyes, "We only agreed that us Doppelgangers were going to be together—we said nothing of you not being more than welcome to come with us." I said

"I would love to go," Caroline answered sending me a smile.

"And what about you boys…are you going to join in on this adventure?" Katherine cooed looking over at Stefan, Elijah, Matt and Tyler

I glanced over watching for an answer

"I see no reason not to—" Elijah began only to be stopped when the stomping of feet boomed through the house and the sound of the door being thrown wide open hitting the wall behind it with a strong force.

"Cassie!" a voice cried

"Anie!" another one cried back.

We all looked at each other confused and all vampire sped into the foyer, seeing the brightness of day flooding in through the door way.

Two girls clinging at each other in a tight embrace, eye closed and tears dripping from both their eyes.

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><p><em><strong>I know, I know! It's a SUPER short chapter. See the thing is-I was going to upload chapter 2 and 3 at the same time, BUT because i wrote these so long ago I'm trying to update them to my present time writing formatskills i.e. making them less wordy and but still 2+2. anyway i promise to have chapter three up soon but no promises about it being up before xmas. **_

_**I have sooo much wrapping to do! **_

_**Happy Holidays-Merry Christmas /3**_


	3. Chapter Three

**_Lucky for you I had some spare time on my hands...-Katherine Pierce s.4e.21_**

**_Yes! I could finally use it! check off my list of yet another Katherine Pierce Quote I was able to use in appropriate context :P _**

**_Yes I have a list-no i do not have a problem hahahahaha-okay maybe a little one. _**

**_ANYWAY, Merry Christmas, this will be my last update of any story before the Holidays, afterwards i'll be updating a lot because I have no life xD _**

**_xoxo_**

**_ ~Hannah _**

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><p><em><strong>Anelie<strong>_

I sat on the end of the couch; Cassie lay on her side, her head in my lap. I brushed my fingers through her ash-blonde hair.

"Cassie." My mother spoke softly getting her attention; Cassie looked up at my mother as did I.

"I know you're probably not in the mood . . . but did you find anybody out there, your parents or anyone?"

Cassie nodded, "I found my parents . . . but they're dead—I don't understand how I survived this." She spoke sounding like she was about to cry.

I rubbed her arm gently, comfortingly

"Well you are more than welcome to stay here with us," Stefan said going to my mother's side

"That brings us to another thing . . . we have some news." Mom began

I looked up at her with curiosity, ". . . what?"

"We're all going to Bulgaria," She announced

"What . . .? Where will we be living?" I asked

"Our residence in Sofia," Mom answered.

I looked down at Cassie as she rolled over onto her back to look up at me, her head still in my lap, "Sounds a lot better than living here . . ."

I nodded, "I agree," I looked up at Stefan and Mom, "When are we leaving?"

"As soon as we are ready, I have a private plane that will take us." Elijah said

"Private plane…?" Cassie repeated, Elijah nodded

She looked up at me with excitement in her eyes I giggled smiling back at her, "Are all Vampires loaded or something?"

I laughed and shook my head, "not all, but we are." I said

Cassie continued to grin and a rise of soft laughter filled the room echoing off the walls.

"Then it is official . . ." Rebekah chimed, "All of us are going to be a family in Bulgaria together, thanks to you Katerina." Rebekah smiled

Momma bowed her head at Rebekah returning a smile, Mom peered over at Cassie and I, "You ready to see life as Bulgarian royalty?" she directed at Cassie.

Cassie looked at me wide eyed I giggled, "Surprise" I said grinning.

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><p><em><strong>Katherine <strong>_

It was three in the morning and we all climbed into the limo that was called to pick us up from the airport once arriving in Bulgaria. Unfortunately it would not be for another three hours till we would come face to face with our new home.

Anelie and Cassie climbed in behind me and Anelie being the most tired vampire that she is curled up beside me, snuggling the both of us under her blanket that she clung to. The past week those girls have been joined at the hip and it has not been since her dramatic arrival that I have not seen them together.

After everyone was inside and half asleep, we were off on our final part of our journey to home. I had not been physically in my family's home since early 1495 when I traveled back from England to introduce Anelie to my family. A lot has changed in my life, since then, Anelie has grown into a very beautiful young lady, and we have outrun Klaus and continued to have the upper hand over him. I have made enemies, turned good friends turned family. Yes our Mystic Falls life had come and is now gone but now we have another one lying just ahead, waiting for us in Sofia, Bulgaria.

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><p><em><strong>Anelie<strong>_

I was rudely awakened from the shaking of my shoulders by my best friend Cassie.

"Annie wake up and look out the damn window!" she practically shouted I groaned and peeked over my blanket it was sunrise and far off in the distance a renaissance castle stood high and tall, with towers and dark cement bricks to go with it.

I looked up at mom my head still on her chest, she smiled down at me, "Welcome home again, Anelie," I looked back at the mansion in the distance, "That's where we're going to live?" I asked in disbelief

She laughed, "Where else would we live? We also own all the land around it."

I continued to observe my new home; I could not wait to see what the inside looked like.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Cassie<strong>_

We all stepped out of the limo, Katherine lead us up the front of the castle that consisted of a wide staircase. She threw open the large, heavy wood double doors and I stared in awe. The floor was hard, cherry wood. The grand stairway was made of the same. The staircase was laced with a black iron railing, a large dark crystal chandelier hung above us and there were large portraits on every wall.

"Who are all these people?" I asked glancing around the walls

"These are our family ancestors," she looked over at Anelie, "There are pictures of you and I upstairs," she informed

Anelie raced up the staircase wanting to find the paintings, I raced up at my human speed behind her.

I stopped at the top of the stairs just as I was about to dash to the right, there in the middle of the corridor, was Anelie, looking up observing a picture on the wall. I crept over to her, my eyes widened in awe; the painting was beautiful, in it stood a younger looking Katherine, wearing a fancy royal purple and silver dress. Her sleeves were long and widened at her elbows, the silver was a lacy material that hides behind lavender colored ribbons that cries-crossed at the bust and corset, from the waist down was just the silver fabric in the form of a triangle that dropped all the way to the bottom of the dress. Her hair was down and in very long perfect curls. Her front strands of hair were braided and pinned back. Then the child in her arms, a smile of an angel, brunette hair that matched her mothers and wearing a dress similar to her mother's but lavender all over.

I glanced at Anelie who peered over her shoulder at me, "I've never seen this painting before . . ." she turned her eyes back to the grand frame, "It must have been done in 1494—I look no older than six months." Anelie spoke aloud

"That's exactly when I had it done," a sudden voice said. Both of our attention turned to Katherine and her two look-alikes behind her.

"It is wonderful momma . . . I love it." Anelie said opening her arms giving her mother a quick hug.

"I'm glad you like it, Annie—now I have a surprise for you." Katherine spoke looking down at her daughter grinning

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><p><em><strong>Anelie<strong>_

I held onto momma's hand following closely behind her; Cassie and everyone stayed back because whatever it was that mom wanted to show me was something between her and I.

We walked through an old spiral stairwell, this part of the house t mom wanted to keep the same, over five centuries old, and still perfectly standing.

We reached the top coming to a wooden door that looked ancient. Mom pulled up the small iron rode and pushed the door open. The place was dark—pitch black; even with my vampire eye-sight I could barely see a thing.

She pulled me in closing the door behind us.

"Stay right here," she said and I felt her let go of my hand.

There was shuffling and finally bright light streamed in when momma threw open heavy red curtains. I looked around the room and it was breath taking. Everything from when my mom was my age and from her child hood was in here.

I gasped, "Oh wow . . ." I let out, and she laughed

"You like it?" she asked

I looked at her in amazement, "Like it? I love it!"

"Good, because it's yours" Momma announced

I smiled and rushed over throwing my arms around her. "Thank you momma,"

"You're welcome my love—I'm glad you like it." She leaned down and kissed me, "I love you,"

"I love you more, mom." I replied

She showed a soft smile, "and I love you most."

I looked over her shoulder on the other side of the room where another door stood.

"Where does that go to?" I wondered pulling back from her

She turned in the direction I was looking.

"Why don't you open it and see?"

I wondered over and wrapped my fingers around the iron handle pushing down the latch and I pulled the door open

I smiled at the bright sun light, I walked out onto the big sandy-colored stone balcony I could see out for miles and miles of open land and in the distance was a city skyline. I leaned over the railing to see horses in a gated pasture that was more than big enough for them to run in.

"We have horses; I thought we sold them off?" I asked looking over my shoulder

"Nope, they were just being cared for elsewhere," momma answered uncrossing her arms leaning over the stone railing beside me, "Yours is the white one, remember?" She gestured her head in the white stallion's direction. I smiled down at it, "Pegasus—I can't wait to teach Cassie how to ride, Bulgaria has a lot in store here for her," I said with a big smile peering at momma my chin sitting on my shoulder, "For all of us Anie. . .I know that's what we said about Mystic Falls through." She spoke softly know that the subject of Mystic Falls was still fragile.

"Yes . . . we did but I think it's best for us to move forward in life. When I think of Mystic Falls all I think about it Damon and how he isn't here anymore. It sucks—but again we have to move forward and focus on the next several centuries we have to live."

"Come here," She commanded softly, I turned towards her and clenched my arms around her torso; she pecked the top of my head and laid her cheek on it, petting my dark curly locks with her slender fingers she spoke with a soft voice, "I'm so proud to be your mom, I hope you know that."

I giggled lightly, "And I'm . . . grateful . . ." I pulled away slightly, looking straight into my mom's identical brown eyes, "That you're my mom—really, you're amazing and even though you can be a psychotic-bitch . . ." I said a chuckle escaping my mother's lips, "I still love you, I wouldn't be standing here being the person that I am, with you, if it wasn't for you mommy."

She cupped my face with her hands and leaned her forehead down on mine, "I love you too baby girl, thank you for being who you are—my brave little Vampire." Momma spoke. This was our new beginning, Bulgaria. But what is left of Mystic Falls, the memories of a human life filled with laughter and being with the people I love, I'll cherish for eternity.


	4. Chapter Four

I stepped into the living room where everyone was making themselves at home. Cassie was sitting beside my dad talking with the rest of the group

"It's been hard I'll admit, but thanks to . . . well—all of you and Anelie of course, I'm not completely alone. Mystic Falls will always be a part of me, but it is here that's my future." Cassie spoke softly her tone confident and strong.

I knew she still hurt from losing her parents; I could never imagine losing my mother I would die and then die again and again. I was determined to make Cassie feel very much at home with us because from here on out we were all the family she had and she was and is a very important person to me.

It had been a long day of settling down into our new home, we had finished putting together Cassie's bedroom that was located diagonally from my parents and right beside mine, where, we now were unpacking boxes and making my room feel like mine.

Cassie's room had horses all over; she loved them and grew up around them just like I had. She had figurines and pictures of them around her room along with photos of her and her family. A big king size bed with a solid brown comforter that sat kiddy corner beside a window that let in bright sun light to where there was no need for artificial lighting. Her room was far simpler compared to mine.

The colors that I would consider my favorite are red and black and sometimes pink. My bed frame was black, made of Iron itself, the bedding looked like a quilt with different deigns in each square that consisted of black lace or red lace, red or black bows, white back grounds with black or red designs. It was sexy and just like my mother, I had that natural appeal when it came to everything.

Over my window hung lightweight red curtains with black ties bordering the top, around my walls hung pictures in simple black frames of centuries worth of images of my mom and I along with a photo—the only painting that I had of mom, my dad and I when I was just a little baby. There were images of all of us as a group, Momma, Stefan, Stefan, Tatia, Caroline, Bonnie, Elena, Elijah, Matt, and Rebekah and Tyler and of course Cassie.

And of course there were several others of Cassie and I. Laced with these images of my family was an image of Aphrodite the goddess of Love and Beauty; since I could remember I have always had a fascination with the stars and planets, images of our galaxy and scientific pictures of stars and planets also hung on my wall. I was becoming very satisfied with how my room was coming along I needed to add just a few more touches.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Cassie climb onto my bed, "What are you doing?" I demanded

She glared over at me, "I'm tired, in case you forgot . . . I'm still human not a five-hundred year old vampire that has an unlimited amount of energy,"

I rolled my eyes, "Cass, I'm not completely incapable of running out of energy, we get tired too . . ." I smirked mischievously, "I just drain the life out of people to regain it."

Cassie shot over a roaring death glare that could have practically burned right through me. She picked up a pile of clothes from my bed and with all her human-might threw them at me.

"Ooouu, Cassie if my mother saw you do that she would potentially kill you." I teased

"Shut up, Petrova!" She spat back with a grin

I scoffed, "Stop throwing my clothes, Cassie Fell!" I answered back mockingly.

I bent down scooping up all the clothes and setting them back on my bed, just then a knock was heard, as I continued with what I was doing I said, "Come in," and in stepped my dad, Stefan.

"Hi Stefan," Cassie chimed

"What are you two girls up to?" He wondered going to sit on the leather black reading chair in the corner

"Just getting my room together, what have you and the doppelisous's been up to?" I cooed

He chuckled looking down at his hands adjusting his monster of a day-light ring.

"I was actually talking with your mom and both of us thought it would be a good . . . idea if you two . . . started school here in a few days," He announced

"I would love to, but—Cassie doesn't know Bulgarian." I said

"I know, that is why you two will be in all the same classes but, because we live in Bulgaria, Cassie you will have to take a Bulgarian Language class-," I quickly interrupted him

"Or I could just teach Cassie so can Momma and Tatia—I mean, why go through the hassle of taking a class just to fit into a country when Cassie has three fluent Bulgarian-speaking people around to teach it to her?"

"Yes, but your mom said it would be best if she took the class—you're taking it with her too." I rolled my eyes falling back onto my bed, "Okay" I sighed, "it will be an easy A anyways so…why not?"

I wondered down the grand staircase later that evening with my hand grazing over the railing as I descended. All was quiet but this place was huge and I wanted to explore every inch of it.

I stepped down the last step and turned going beside the staircase where the picture gallery of our ancestors began and of course it began with Tatia Petrova looking just like my mom and Elena but in her arms she held a little baby boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes. The next must have been Tatia's son, his name was Elijah coincidentally, Elijah Petrova who stood beside him a brunette woman, I assumed it was his other half. I walked along observing when a certain image caught my eye.

It was of an older man with a dark beard and mustache, his eyes familiar is many ways and then a women who along with the man appeared to be in her mid, maybe late forties her eyes were soft and dark, her hair pulled back and pined up. I looked down at the little girl between them; her hair was brunette, her doe eyes, deep brown but it was not a smile that laid upon on hers but a face as if…well expressionless. I recognized her immediately—that was my mother, but back then she was known as Katerina Petrova. That meant that, that man and woman in the image behind her were her parents; my grandparents.

I suddenly had much curiosity about them, I focused my hearing and I heard voices coming from the kitchen and the second living room.

Anelie wondered into the game room where she found all of the girls lounging with glasses of wine in hand or beside them and a fire burning in the fireplace.

Elena, out of the corner of her eyes saw Anelie; she turned her head in her direction and smiled softly

"Why, hello Miss Annie." Elena greeted

Anelie smiled

Katherine turned and looked at her daughter with curiosity, "Hi baby,"

"Hi momma . . ." Anelie responded

Katherine patted the couch beside her, "Come sit down," she commanded and Anelie obeyed wondering over to the couch beside her mother making herself comfortable.

"How are you?" Katherine wondered

"Great—bored," she giggled, "Cassie fell asleep after I made her help me finish my room."

Caroline let out a small laugh shaking her head lightly, "How could you possibly be bored living in a place like this? There is so much of this place that needs exploring,"

"Well I was looking at the gallery in the entry and I came across that picture of you with your parents." Anelie said looking over at her mother

"Ooh?" Katherine said taking a sip from her glass

"Yeah . . . and I have a question to ask you." Anelie announced

Katherine raised her eyebrows looking at her daughter with very much curiosity, "And what might that be?"

"Did I . . . ever meet them?" Anelie let out in wonder

Katherine only sighed continuing to observe her curious child

"I'm not trying to stir anything up but . . . they just seem so familiar. I mean I know I have seen that picture, but it's different . . . I don't really know how to explain it."

"You were just a baby when they met you, could not have been older than two if I recall correctly." Katherine spoke slowly answering Anelie's question

"Really, I did?" she asked again a smile forming on her lips

Katherine nodded, "Yes, you did; it was . . . five years after I had been banished to England, your father thought that it would be a good idea so I went with you and he stayed behind. Of course when we arrived my father slammed the door in my face but my mother being the compassionate person that she was let me back in not caring what other people of the village at the time thought about the Petrova's any longer." Katherine explained

Anelie looked at her mother with fascination wanting to hear nothing but more of the story

"When she saw I had, had another child she was thrilled but my father not so much but, of course with the fact that I was older and married my father warmed up to the idea. When he held you I was hesitant at first because I was afraid he was going to take you and give you away like he did my first born. Thankfully he did not." Katherine let out a small laugh as she remembered back to that time.

"I remember you turned him into someone else, someone I had not seen in a very long time. It would always bring a smile to his face when he watched you run around or while he chased you about the fields and your laugh—he loved your laugh . . . and your curiosity for everything, he loved it because you reminded him . . . of me . . . when I was little."

Anelie smiled up at Katherine, receiving a smile back she pulled herself close to her mother, wrapping her arms around Katherine's small torso, Anelie's head lying on her mother's chest. Katherine leaned back loving the feeling of her daughter against her. Continuing on with the conversation she ran her fingers through Anelie's dark locks.

"Katherine, Anelie is not only the spatting image of you but she's got your persona on the inside and out. Anelie is your mini me." Elena giggled

"I wonder if all of your children would look the same or very, very similar?" Rebekah chimed directing the question to the doppelgangers

"Elijah looked like Anelie —I mean he got his looks from me." Tatia bragged with a smile

"Well I'll never know what my children would have been or looked like—having that I'm a vampire and cannot have kids." Elena said

"You know that is not completely true—vampires can procreate." Katherine announced

"We can . . .?" Rebekah asked breathless

Katherine turned her head and looked at Rebekah who stood now gripping her glass with both hands standing with her back now to the fireplace, questioning eyes observing the curly-haired brunette vampire.

"Yes . . . we can. And I know this because I was already a vampire for about a year when I became pregnant . . . of course it just has to be with another person of the supernatural" Katherine answered

"Well . . . then . . . the Petrova bloodline hasn't come to its complete end now has it?" Elena muttered slowly

Katherine smirked, "Are you and Elijah going to try then?"

Elena shrugged opening her mouth to respond, "Elena you have to have kids! You're too maternal to not!" Caroline exclaimed

Elena giggled, "I never said that I didn't want to—of course I want to Care, just not at the moment. I want to go through life like a human for right now, you know? Enjoy my time and then in a few years maybe Elijah and I will of course try for kids maybe even get married, have an actual family together like...well like you and Stefan do Katherine. We love each other enough."

"Yes but, we are not married nor do we have children together," Katherine contradicted

Elena scoffed, "You may not be married, but Anelie is basically Stefan's, has been for how many years?"

Katherine shrugged a grin forming on her lips, "Only a hundred and forty-nine."

Elena shook her head letting out a dry chuckle

"I'm sure one day you and Stefan will finally tie the knot." Caroline smiled

Katherine looked over at her, "You think?" She asked wrinkling her nose

Rebekah tuned in nodding in agreement, "All of us do, right Anelie?"

"I hope so, make the family official." Anelie agreed.

Anelie smiled at the thought of Elena becoming a mother and the thought of her parents finally getting married. It was a wonderful thought in her mind. Her thoughts left the subject and drifted to memories of bonding that Katherine and Anelie had used to do before all of the events that have happened in the past few months. The mother-daughter bonding had gone MIA and it was the perfect time to find it once again.

Anelie pushed herself from leaning on her mother and cupped a hand over the side of her mouth and brought her face to her mom's ear.

Whispering something Katherine smiled softly and set down the wine glass on the table in front of them.

"Let's go." Katherine spoke softly, standing up, Anelie following her.

"Where are you two off to?" Tatia wondered calling after them

Katherine looked over her shoulder just before exiting the room, "To rekindle a tradition." Anelie smiled up at her mother and Katherine returned it, taking her hand.

Elena looked over a Tatia with a confused expression, "tradition?"

Tatia and the other's shrugged a shoulder figuring it was just something between the mother and child.

Katherine pulled open the large and heavy wooden double door. The warm breeze of the skies surrounded them, the moon was full and bright, the stars were clear and twinkling brightly. Having absolutely no light pollution millions of more stars could be scene from the castle.

Anelie followed beside her mother about two-hundred yards from the castle, they both lay down on the ground besides one another starring up contently at the clear space above them.

Anelie sighed, missing having done this tradition since she was just a young little human.

"I haven't seen much of you today; Annie . . . how does Cassie like it here?" Katherine wondered turning her head to look at Anelie, the side of her cheek brushed against the grassy ground.

Anelie shrugged, "It's still too soon to tell," She answered, "I think once school starts for us . . . she will be able to call this place home."

"You don't think moving her from Mystic Falls was a bad thing do you?" Katherine spoke softly, her eyes looking at her child's directly, Anelie did not hesitate, she shook her head, "Oh no momma, it was a great idea and still is. Cassie could not have stayed there it was all destroyed and she would have been all alone . . . I think she going to have a wonderful life here but she needs time . . . I couldn't imagine losing both my parents." Anelie assured her mother, Katherine smiled sadly to her

"You know I love you right, Anelie?" Katherine asked, "More than anything?"

Anelie smiled, "There is not a day that goes by that you have not told me that you love me since the day I was born."

Katherine leaned over and kissed Anelie softly, "Not matter what, even when I'm in one of my evil-vampire-bitch moods—I love you, always,"

Anelie giggled, "and forever, I love you too momma—to the moon and back."

Meanwhile . . . . . .

Elena excused herself from the girls, saying goodnight and heading up to her and Elijah's master suite just up the grand, dark staircase.

Her heels clicked against the reflective steps and she ascended them

A figure wearing a navy blue, loose fitted tank top and yellow shorts came into sight from down the hall, Elena smiled lightly

"Elena, have you seen Anelie? She isn't in her room . . ." Cassie asked brushing the bangs out of her tired eyes

"She's outside with Katherine, they should be back soon—was there something that you needed?" Elena asked her voice soft and sweet

Cassie sighed, "I . . . had a really bad nightmare and I just need to make sure she's okay . . ."

Elena's soft smile disappeared and her expression was now full of worry, "Sweetie, if you ever want to talk it isn't just Anelie that's here for you—we all are. You can come to me whenever you like I'll gladly listen. Don't think that you're alone in this, Cassie . . ."

Cassie felt tears burn in her eyes, but pushed them back wanting to put on nothing but a brave face, "Thank you, Elena, but honestly it's just a comfort thing—I just wanted to know that Anelie was okay. My dream didn't exactly assure me of that." She pressed hoping Elena would believe her

"Like I said, she's just outside with her mom somewhere—something about a tradition they had from way back when." Elena giggled

Cassie pressed her lips together, "okay . . . and on the contrary thank you Elena." She turned on her heel about to go back to her room, "Any time Cassie. Goodnight sweetie."

"Goodnight," Cassie answered turning the knob on her door and slipping in; Elena watched the door close before turning on her heel to her room at the opposite end of the hall.

Elena glanced over to the place she and Cassie had just been talking, she sighed as she slipped into her room, leaning against the door as she close it gently behind her.

"I see you're connecting with Cassie," Elijah observed

"And I see you're still an ease dropper," Elena shot back with a smirk

"I couldn't help but over hear," Elijah protested, Elena let out an unnecessary breath, "She just lost her parents . . . I'm trying to make her feel more comfortable—like she still has family. Anelie cares about Cassie more like a sister than a friend. I'm attempting the same." Elena explained earning a small smile from her beloved.

She crawled up onto the bed beside him, "Give her time Elena that is all you can do. Cassie will warm up to all of us in her own time." Elijah said, putting down his novel on the nightstand reaching up to flip off the lamp that also stood on the table.

Elena waited for Elijah to lie down before getting comfortable beside him laying her head on his chest. "All of us need time to settle down into this place, it's going to take a while for myself to get to know it as home." Elena said understanding that it would be the same for Cassie.

Both vampires settled in each other's arms quickly drifting off to sleep.

Cassie settled herself back in her bed underneath her big fluffy comforter. Her head sank into her soft pillow but she couldn't help but be scared about letting herself fall back to sleep. Her mind doing nothing but returning to the memories of her dream; the thought of something horrible happening to her best friend made her stomach clench and hands shake. It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

She looked over out the big window to the side of her bed that had a perfect view of the fields in the front of the castle. She watched two small, dark figured only being seen by the glow of the moon sitting on the ground in each other's arms. Right away she knew from Elena's explanation that it was Katherine and Anelie.

She got up from her bed and slowly walked over to the window, leaning on the wall beside it. Watching Katherine and Anelie, she remembered the memories of her beloved parents that she missed more than anything else in the world. She may have not had the best time getting along with her mother but she did love her and her father— her father she admitted selfishly to herself, she missed the most out of her parents. the way he could make her burst out laughing when she was the most upset, cheering her up when her mother would put Cassie in the worst moods. Her father was, more than words could ever describe, the best father in the world.

Cassie turned away, pushing back the memories she buried herself back into her bed sinking into the soft mattress she closed her eyes and forced her body to sleep, she hugged the blanket around her clenching the top of it in her hands holding it up close to her face, not caring of the nightmare returning anymore.


End file.
